Ultrabooks from various OEMs are under attack in light of the U.S. granting Apple the design patent for the “wedge or teardrop” profile in the MacBook Air.

Ultrabooks from various OEMs are under attack in light of the U.S. granting Apple the design patent for the “wedge or teardrop” profile in the MacBook Air.

Taiwan’s PC brands and laptop makers will meet with local government officials to discuss the possible impact of Apple’s 14 year ownership of the design patent. The meeting is to include major brands such as Acer Inc., Asustek Computer Inc., Compal Electronics Inc., and Hon Hai Precision Industry Co.

According to Focus Taiwan, the meeting may spur discussions on how to counter Apple’s possible lawsuit against Taiwan’s manufacturers. The U.S. market makes up a huge portion of the Taiwan’s ultrabook exports; therefore, it is crucial that these OEMs are ready to face the possibility of having their products barred from entering the U.S.

The patent situation is dire if OEMs don’t find a solution, such as developing a new design for ultrabooks instead of cloning Apple’s wedge design. Worse comes to worst, OEMs can file an opposition to the validity or applicability of Apple’s design patent.